State of the Environment

2006

Indicator: HS-46 Usage of water efficient appliances

Data

Location of water use in households Australia - 2000-01

Location of water use in households Australia - 2000-01

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Water Account Australia 2000-01, Australian Bureau of Statistics, p88

Water conservation devices used inside a dwelling – 1994-2004
(Proportion of households)
1994 1998 2001 2004
Dual flush toilet 39.0 55.2 63.8 73.6
Reduced flow shower head 21.8 32.3 34.7 43.5
None of the above 50.3 34.3 26.8 18.0

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Environmental Issues: People's views and practices March 2004, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, viewed 28 Nov 2005, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/b06660592430724fca2568
b5007b8619/989527f462991f5eca2568a90013933e!OpenDocument, p. 54

Water use in Australian Cities 2003
Components of Water Use Volume (ML) Percentage of Total Consumption Percentage of Residential Consumption
Residential gardens 414 000 20.1 34
Toilet flushing 244 000 11.8 20
Laundry 183 000 8.9 15
Bathroom 317 000 15.3 26
Kitchen 61 000 3.0 5
Total Residential 1 219 000 59.0 100
Industrial and commercial 437 000 21.2
Local government, parks, fire fighting 139 000 6.7
System losses 221 000 10.7
Customer meter errors 49 000 2.4
2 065 000 100.0

Source: Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council 2003, Recycling water for our cities, PMSEIC, Canberra, p.2

Selected water conservation methods in Australian households
1994-2004
Proportion of households
2004 2001 1998 1994
Method used in household        
Turn-off/repair dripping taps 15.9 19.5 19.9 23.5
Full load when washing clothes 17.6 15.8 16.5 16.1
Shorter showers 17.9 14.4 15.1 15.7
Re-use/recycle water 15.9 11.3 14.8 13.3
Wash car on lawn 4.8 6.8 7.4
Less water in baths/toughs/basins 8.7 6.6 -
Use bucket to wash car 6.1 4.6 5.2
No conservation practices applied 53.5 56. 4 52.7 54.3
Methods used in garden*        
Use mulch in the garden 58.8 50.6 47.2
Water early morning/late evening 22.5 26.2 29.9
Water less frequently but for longer 10.8 12.4 -
Use recycled water 17.9 10.6 11.5
Do not water lawn area 7.0 6.3 -
Check soil moisture before watering 3.9 5.7 8.4
Do not water at all 10.0 5.6 5.9
No conservation methods applied 8.7 10.8 11.2

* as a proportion of all households with gardens

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Environmental Issues: People's views and practices March 2004, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra, viewed 28 Nov 2005, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/
b06660592430724fca2568b5007b8619/989527f462991f5eca2568a90013933e!OpenDocument, pp. 54-57.

More detailed information is available from the ABS National Water Account 2000-2001:

What the data mean

Nearly half (44%) of the water used by households is used outdoors; the highest proportion of water inside the home is used in the bathroom followed by the toilet and laundry.

The proportion of households adopting water efficient methods has increased significantly over the last decade with almost three fourths (74%) of households having a dual flush toilet and less than half (43%) having reduced flow shower heads. These figures contrast with 64% and 35% respectively in 2001, and 39% and 22% respectively in 1994. There was no difference in the proportion of households using dual-flush toilets and reduced flow shower heads in capital cities and outside capitals.

Other water conservation methods used in households and surveyed in 2001 included turning off or repairing dripping taps (20% of households), doing full loads when washing (16%) and having shorter showers (14%). Just over 60% of households with gardens conserved water in their gardens. The most common water conservation method was watering in the early morning or late evening (a quarter of households with gardens). Other methods included watering gardens less frequently but for longer (12%) or using recycled water (11%). Smaller proportions did not water their lawn or did not water at all (both 6%). In addition, half of the households with gardens used mulch in order to save water.

Data Limitations

This data is derived from a supplementary survey run in association with the March 2004 Monthly Population Survey. The survey methodologies used before and after 1997 are different; this needs to be taken into account when comparing data from different years.

Issues for which this is an indicator and why

Human Settlements — General responses provided to improve the environment - Other responses 

Although the amount of water used by households is a small proportion of total water consumption, the use of water efficient appliances measures in households contributes towards more efficient use of our water resources.

Other indicators for this issue:

Inland Waters — Catchment scale influences — Hydrological condition - Surface-water availability and human use 

Water supply for human settlements is drawn mostly from surface water bodies. Increased use of water efficient appliances in households will contribute to reducing the demand for water extracted from these water bodies.

Other indicators for this issue:

Inland Waters — Catchment scale influences — Hydrological condition - Ground-water availability and human use 

Water supply for human settlements is also extracted mostly from groundwater sources. Increased use of water efficient appliances in households will contribute to reducing the demand for water extracted from these sources.

Other indicators for this issue:

Further Information

Key

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